Apple Acquired Podcast App Scout FM Earlier This Year
In order to continue improving its Podcast offerings experience, Apple earlier this year purchased podcast app Scout FM, reports Bloomberg.
The website for Scout FM is now defunct, but it was available on iPhones, Android devices, and Amazon smart speakers. Scout FM generated podcast stations covering various topics, similar to a radio station but for a podcast experience.
A person could select a specific topic and then find podcasts related to that topic, with the service also offering up recommendations based on listening history and personal preference. TechCrunch explained how it worked in 2018:
Scout.fm wants to change the way people listen to podcasts. Instead of scouring through the over 500,000 shows in your current podcast app, this startup's new curated podcast service will just ask you a few questions to find out what you like, then create a podcast station customized to you. The experience is primarily designed for use on smart speakers, like Amazon's Alexa-powered Echo devices, but is also available as iOS and Android applications.
According to Bloomberg, Scout FM was a popular iPhone podcast app that worked with CarPlay, plus it was available for Alexa-based devices.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the purchase to Bloomberg with Apple's standard acquisition statement, but did not provide details on how the app's technology will be used.
Apple competitor Spotify has been making significant investments into the podcasting space, which has also spurred Apple to make updates. Apple plans to improve its podcast offerings through original podcast content that will be exclusive to the Podcasts app.
Apple plans to create audio spinoffs of some of its original television and movie content, but it is also seeking to purchase original podcast programs that could also tie into future Apple TV+ shows.
Popular Stories
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced that steep tariffs will be applied to imports from many countries, starting April 9. The tariffs could have a significant impact on Apple, as the company assembles the majority of iPhones in China, and products imported to the U.S. from China will be subject to a 54% tariff.
iPhone prices could increase by up to 43% in the U.S. due to the...
If you have an older Apple device that you've been considering upgrading, you're probably wondering how the newly announced tariffs might impact prices going forward, and whether it's worth buying now before there's a price hike.
Given analyst and economist responses to the tariffs, market panic, and Trump's stance on the current financial chaos, the answer is that making a purchase...
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
Apple has released iOS 18.4, bringing further refinements to Apple Intelligence features, a neat new capability to iPhone 15 Pro devices, new emoji, and more.
While not quite as packed with new features as Apple's preceding iOS 18 point releases, iOS 18.4 still introduces enhancements that aim to make your iPhone smarter and more intuitive. Below, we've listed 12 new things your iPhone ...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Apple stock dropped 4% in early Friday trading, broadly following yesterday's trend after China announced reciprocal tariffs in response to U.S. President Trump's trade policies.
The latest decline follows Thursday's dramatic 9% plunge that erased nearly $300 billion from Apple's market value – the company's worst single-day performance in five years – amid growing fears that Trump's...
('https://www.macrumors.com/2020/09/24/apple-acquired-podcast-app-scout-fm/')
